In January 2015 Kosmos Journal invited open submissions for two Seed Grants and soon your proposals began streaming in from all parts of the world. The passion and commitment expressed by so many, doing such vital work in so many places, took our breath away. We never dreamed we would receive more than 1700 proposals. In ‘750 words or less’ you conveyed a snapshot of a world community engaged in transformation at every level of society and at multiple scales. It was a privilege to read your words.

The choice was not a simple one. We weighed many factors. The two projects our committee ultimately selected are emblematic of the quality and promise that scores of other projects also demonstrated. The great majority of proposals we received are certainly worthy of support in their own right and we thank you for your time and your service.

Here are the official recipients of the inaugural 2015 Kosmos Seed Grants:

We share details about each of these projects in the stories below, and we will continue to follow their journeys in the weeks and months ahead. Fourteen years ago, a $2500 grant from Lifebridge Foundation enabled us to print the first edition of Kosmos Journal. How thrilling it is to pass this act of generosity forward.

2015 Kosmos Seed Grant Recipient – Harlem Grown

“We are very grateful to be a recipient of one of Kosmos Journal’s first seed grants. Working with youth ages 5 to 15, we create urban farms in Harlem that are home to educational and mentor-based programs. Our work is based on community and partnerships: we cannot do it alone. This Seed Grant from Kosmos will allow us to develop the 131st Street Garden into a thriving educational space.”

2015 Kosmos Seed Grant Recipient – UniTED

“We are delighted to be working with Kosmos to further this mission of global transformation through friendship. The inaugural Seed Grant will support our first UniTED world training camp, bringing together more than 100 Uniters face-to-face in Uganda this August. We look forward to sharing the journey with Kosmos and demonstrating how hope emerges through the friendships and collaboration of young people addressing the global challenges we face in our own communities. In doing so, we feel we have something to contribute to the emerging world community as well.”

The Kosmos Shortlist: 2015 Projects of Promise

As part of our 2015 Seed Grant Initiative, Kosmos has selected five additional projects that demonstrate special promise and align with our mission. We will follow these projects closely in the year ahead, offering editorial and other forms of support.

Seeds of a New Activism: Six Stories that No Longer Serve Us and What’s Next

By Micha Narberhaus, in the Current Edition of Kosmos Journal

“For civil society to become a decisive actor towards a transition to a new economic system, many more activists and change agents are needed for this journey. The game has to be raised to grow and spread the seeds of a new civil society that is emerging.”